Florida Is Right To Leave Vaccine Decisions Up to Parents
Updated: 9/15/2025
What it is
Florida announced last week that it is taking steps to become the first state to end the school vaccine mandate, a move officials say restores public trust by allowing parents to decide what vaccinations their children receive. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo emphasized the importance of personal choice, stating, "Who am I as a government to tell you what you should put in your body?"
Who am I as a government to tell you what you should put in your body?
Why it matters
- Provides context for readers encountering this topic in our ongoing coverage.
- Centralizes primary documents and official sources for verification.
- Updated automatically as new reporting is published.
Key facts
- Florida announced last week that it is taking steps to become the first state to end the school vaccine mandate, a move officials say restores public trust by allowing parents to decide what vaccinations their children receive.
- Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo emphasized the importance of personal choice, stating, "Who am I as a government to tell you what you should put in your body?"
Timeline & recent coverage
- See related posts on our site; this explainer updates when new reporting appears.
- For deeper background, explore the sources below.
Primary sources
- https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/wsj-kennedy-op-ed-restore-public-trust-in-vaccines.html
- https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/immunization/children-and-adolescents/school-immunization-requirements/index.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/child-adolescent-age.html
Further reading & references
- (Additional background links will appear here as we cover this topic.)